Tab 1
Tab 2
📘
1. Make meaning from academic text
Explanation: This refers to understanding and interpreting the message or information
conveyed in formal texts used in academic contexts (e.g., essays, journal articles, reports).
Example:
If a text says, “The Industrial Revolution significantly altered socio-economic dynamics
across Europe,”
You must understand that the writer is highlighting the broad effects of this historical period,
not just mentioning a fact.
Tip: Look for context clues, transitional words, and summarise in your own words to test your
understanding.
2. Understand vocabulary related to academic study
Explanation: Academic texts often use subject-specific vocabulary or complex terms. This
skill involves interpreting words based on context and recognizing formal register.
Example:
● Word: Hypothesis
● Academic usage: “The hypothesis was tested using a double-blind method.”
● Meaning: A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence.
Tip: Use root words, prefixes, suffixes to decode unfamiliar terms. Eg: “bio-” (life) + “-logy”
(study of) = biology.
3. Evaluate evidence used to support claims made by writers
Explanation: Academic writers make arguments or claims supported by evidence. You must
assess the quality, relevance, and reliability of that evidence.
Example:
Claim: “Smartphones reduce attention span.”
Evidence: “A study by the University of London showed a 25% decline in focus among
frequent phone users.”
Tip: Ask:
● Is the evidence from a credible source?
● Is it directly supporting the claim?
● Is it logical and sufficient?
4. Extrapolate and draw inferences and conclusions from text
Explanation: This skill involves “reading between the lines” — understanding information not
stated directly but implied.
Example:
Text: “Despite his late arrival, he was met with applause.”
Inference: The person is likely respected or had achieved something noteworthy.
Tip: Look at tone, implication, and consequence. Ask what is suggested, not just what is
said.
5. Differentiate main idea from supporting ideas in the overall and
specific organisation of a passage
Explanation: Identifying what the paragraph or text is mostly about (main idea) vs. the details
or examples used to support that idea.
Example:
Main idea: “Global warming is a growing threat to biodiversity.”
Supporting ideas:
● “Species are migrating to cooler regions.”
● “Coral reefs are bleaching.”
● “Food chains are being disrupted.”
Tip: Main ideas often appear in topic sentences or are implied in concluding remarks.
6. Identify text differences as related to the writers’ purposes, audiences,
and forms of communication
Explanation: Writers use different tones, structures, and vocab depending on why they’re
writing, who they’re writing for, and what form they’re using.
Example:
● Purpose: To persuade → Argumentative essay
● Audience: General public → Simple language
● Form: Scientific journal → Formal, passive voice, technical terms
Tip: Always ask:
● Why was this written?
● Who is the reader?
● What type of text is this (e.g., article, letter, report)?
7. Understand how syntax and punctuation are used to express meaning
Explanation: Syntax (sentence structure) and punctuation affect meaning, tone, and clarity in
academic writing.
Example:
● “Let’s eat, grandma!” vs “Let’s eat grandma!”
Punctuation changes meaning completely.
Syntax example:
● “Despite being tired, she continued studying.”
The subordinating clause adds contrast and complexity.
Tip: Pay attention to commas, colons, semicolons, and how sentences are constructed for
emphasis or clarity.
8. Understand basic numerical concepts used in text
Explanation: You may encounter data, percentages, graphs, or numerical comparisons. You
must interpret them correctly to support comprehension.
Example:
Text: “Women comprise 60% of the workforce in the sector.”
You should understand what this implies numerically and socially.
Tip: Practice interpreting charts, proportions, averages, and trends within written contexts.
🔑 Final Tips for Academic Literacy:
● Practice reading academic articles regularly.
● Summarise each paragraph to track the main idea.
● Create a glossary of common academic terms.
● Analyze arguments by looking for claim + evidence patterns.
● Practice comprehension questions from past NBT papers.
📊 Quantitative Literacy – Detailed Notes & Examples
1. Apply quantitative procedures and reasoning in symbolic and non-
symbolic situations
Explanation:
This refers to using mathematical reasoning to solve problems whether numbers or symbols
(like x, %, π) are present or not.
Examples:
● Symbolic: Solve: 2x + 5 = 15.
➝ Rearranged: 2x = 10, so x = 5.
● Non-symbolic: Estimate how long it will take to travel 150 km if you’re driving at about
75 km/h.
Skills Involved:
● Mental math
● Logical reasoning
● Recognizing operations needed to solve a problem
2. Apply information from a variety of tables, graphs, charts and text
Explanation:
You must be able to interpret and use data presented in different formats.
Examples:
● A table showing monthly electricity usage
● A bar graph comparing rainfall in different cities
● A chart showing student pass rates by subject
● A text describing a company’s profit increase over the years
Sample Question:
A pie chart shows that 40% of the budget goes to salaries. If the total budget is R500,000,
how much goes to salaries?
➝ 0.40 × 500,000 = R200,000
3. Integrate information obtained from multiple sources
Explanation:
Sometimes, solving a problem involves combining data from different types of sources (e.g.,
a graph and a paragraph, or a table and a formula).
Example:
● A graph shows temperature over time.
● A text explains that a crop grows best between 20–30°C.
➝ Use both to decide when to plant crops.
Tip: Look for how the sources complement or contrast each other.
4. Perform multiple-step calculations using information presented with
text, symbols, and graphs
Explanation:
This involves solving a problem that requires more than one step and involves information
from various formats.
Example:
You are given a graph showing fuel usage per 100km.
A text tells you the total distance of a road trip.
You must calculate the total fuel used and cost based on price per litre.
Sample Question:
If a car uses 7L per 100km and travels 450km, how many litres are needed?
➝ (7 ÷ 100) × 450 = 31.5L
5. Identify trends and patterns in various situations
Explanation:
You must recognize whether something is increasing, decreasing, staying the same, or
behaving cyclically (repeating patterns).
Example:
● In a line graph of population over years, you may see a steady upward trend.
● In a bar graph of monthly sales, you may identify that sales dip every December.
Sample Skill:
Describing the pattern → “As temperature increases, ice cream sales also
increase”.
6. Apply properties of simple geometric shapes to determine
measurements
Explanation:
Use your knowledge of geometry (formulas, angles, perimeters, areas) to calculate lengths,
areas, and volumes.
Examples:
● Area of a rectangle = length × width
➝ If length = 5m, width = 3m → Area = 15m²
● Volume of a cylinder = πr²h
➝ r = 4 cm, h = 10 cm → Volume = π × 16 × 10 = 160π cm³
Common Shapes:
● Rectangle, triangle, circle, cube, cylinder
7. Interpret quantitative information presented verbally, symbolically,
and graphically
Explanation:
You must understand and explain what numbers, symbols, and graphs mean in context.
Examples:
● Verbal: “The company’s profit doubled in two years” → You understand the
scale of growth.
● Symbolic: x = number of apples; 2x + 5 = 15 → Solve to find apples.
● Graphical: A line graph showing a sharp drop represents a sudden decrease in
value.
Tips:
● Always read units (e.g., km, litres, years).
● Translate between formats: What does the graph say in words?
✅ Summary Table
Skill Area Key Focus Example
Symbolic & Non-symbolic Solve with or without “x + 2 = 10” or “Double 5 is
Reasoning symbols 10”
Graph/Table Interpretation Read data from visuals Bar graph on rainfall
Source Integration Use mixed data Combine text and graph info
Multi-step Calculations 2+ operations with Use graph + fuel cost to find
visuals/symbols total trip expense
Pattern Recognition Spot trends in data “Every winter, sales drop”
Geometry Use shapes to find areas Area of triangle: ½ × base ×
height
Multi-format Interpretation Understand info in various Read a graph, solve an
forms equation, explain data in
words
